What is wastewater treatment

Usually refer to sewage treatment, or domestic

wastewater treatment process of removing contaminants from wastewater, both runoff and domestic

Goals
To produce waste stream (effluent)
To produce solid waste (sludge) To discharge or reuse them back into the environment

Where does wastewater come from?

Residences (kitchen, bathroom)
Commercial institution Industrial institution (usually require specialized

treatment process)

How can it be treated?

collected and transported via a network of pipes and

pump stations to a municipal treatment plant

Wastewater Contaminants
Suspended solids Priority pollutants: metalloids (As, Se) and metals (Cd, Hg), benzene

compounds, and chlorinated compounds

Microorganisms: pathogenic and nonpathogenic
Organics: refractory and biodegradable Nutrients:
Phosphorus Nitrogen (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates)

Effects of polluted water on;

1.

Effects on Agriculture;-use of wastewater and polluted surface and groundwater which contaminate crops and transmit disease to consumers and farm workers; Depositions of deleterious chemicals in soil leading to loss of soil fertility;

2.

Effects on Environment/ecosystems;-pungent smell,discolourisation; increased temps; contamination; change the pH; decreased oxygen; detergents that create a mass of white foam in the river waters; Enrichment of groundwater with salts, nutrients from irrigated lands; eutrophication/algal blooms-what is the effect on recreational activities,water treatment plants/water providers;loss of aesthetic value; Algae clogs our waterways

Effects of polluted water on;

4. Domestic effects;-toxic substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium or cyanide, which may affect the use of the receiving water for domestic use or for aquatic life.
5. Effects on industry; boiler scales, Heavy metals cause unpleasant taste and odour to drinking water; Suspended particles cause unpleasant taste & discoloration to drinking water;

Effects of polluted water on;

Economy Unsightly color, reduced clarity, and obnoxious odor of the receiving waters also make it unfit for recreation and other productive uses;
6.

Adverse effects of water pollution lead to economic losses

in terms of reduced health, reduced agricultural productivity, and lowquality tourism.

There is also economic losses to family income due to the desire for safe

bottled water which is more expensive than unbottled water.

When water is polluted, fish and other aquatic resources can perish, which leads to a decline in fisheries production. Erosion from degraded uplands and pollution from silt and sedimentation, as well as untreated sewerage, cause productivity losses in fisheries. Silt and sedimentation are major causes for losses in fishery production. High levels of turbidity leads to economic losses;

When water is polluted, fish and other aquatic resources can perish, which leads to a decline in fisheries production. Erosion from degraded uplands and pollution from silt and sedimentation, as well as untreated sewerage, cause productivity losses in fisheries. Silt and sedimentation are major causes for losses in fishery production. High levels of turbidity leads to economic losses;

Effects of polluted water on;

Improvement of water quality- Removal of organic matte thru aerobic decomposition; chlorination to remove bacteria, suspended solids; precipitation of

salts, desalination etc during water treatment is expensive for polluted water;

Increased salinization and salt runoff leading to salinization of major rivers.; Heavy metals cause unpleasant taste and odour to

drinking water;

Suspended particles cause unpleasant taste & discoloration to drinking water;

Effects of polluted water on;

Hard water with usually high levels of calcium and

magnesium can cause a build-up of minerals in pipelines/boiler scales and cause erosion and blockage problems. Water softeners and conditioners can be used in the water to reduce limescale but can be expensive.

Effects of polluted water on;

7. Leisure
Swimming pool water can become contaminated with

a number of different pollutants and may cause changes in water colour and odour, some pollutants may also be harmful to human health.
Discolouration of the swimming pool water could be

due to a number of reasons. It may be dirty and cause the water to change a milky colour if the filter is inadequate or blocked. Algae contamination can also cause discolouration, black algae cause black spots to appear in the pool. Other forms of algae contaminate pools when chlorine levels are too low, these often turn the water a green colour.

Chlorine is used in many swimming pools to keep them clean. There are certain substances, such as certain types of detergents and some forms of make-up, that dont mix well with chlorine. These can cause adverse effects to human health such as skin and throat irritations.
Pond water can also become polluted with different chemicals or microbes. This can make the pond less attractive and can be harmful to aquatic life within the pond. An overgrowth of algae and accumulation of leaf debris are often the main problems with ponds in the home; UV filters are efficient at reducing algae levels in ponds and also remove decaying vegetation. These are useful for long term maintenance of your pond.

Effects of polluted water on;

8

. Effects on human health; Increased incidence of tumours, ulcers due to nitrate pollution; Increased incidence of skin disorders due to contact with pollutants; Increased incidence of constipation, diarrhea, and infections to intestine; Dangerous effects on growing foetus in pregnant women; Concentration of pollutants due to bioaccumulative pesticides through secondary and tertiary food chains in case of non-vegeterians; Still births, abortions, and birth of deformed children; Blue baby disease caused by methaneglobinema-which results in asphyxia (reduced oxygen supply);Reduced activity of immune system; Loss of memory power and reduced mental sharpness; Water borne diseases like jaundice, hepatitis, gasteroenteritis, will be more prevalent due to water pollution; Reduced bone development and muscular development; Reduced male fertility; Shifts in physiological cycles of human body.

Wastewater Treatment

Pre-treatment Preliminary treatment Primary treatment Secondary treatment Tertiary treatment Sludge (biosolids) disposal

Types of treatment
Mechanical treatment

Influx (Influent) Removal of large objects Removal of sand and grit Primary Sedimentation

Biological treatment
Trickling bed filter Activated sludge

Chemical treatment
Disinfection

Pre-treatment - Occurs in business or industry prior to discharge - Prevention of toxic chemicals or excess nutrients being discharged in wastewater

Water discharged from homes,

businesses, and industry enters sanitary sewers Water from rainwater on streets enters storm water sewers Combined sewers carry both sanitary wastes and storm water

Water moves toward the

wastewater plant primarily by gravity flow Lift stations pump water from low lying areas over hills

Wastewater Treatment

Preliminary Treatment

- removes large objects and nondegradable materials - protects pumps and equipment from damage - bar screen and grit chamber

Bar Screen

- catches large objects that have gotten into sewer system such as bricks, bottles, pieces of wood, etc.

Grit Chamber

- removes rocks, gravel, broken glass, etc. Mesh Screen - removes diapers, combs, towels, plastic bags, syringes, etc.

 Preliminary Treatment

Measurement and sampling at the

inlet structure - a flow meter continuously records the volume of water entering the treatment plant - water samples are taken for determination of suspended solids and B.O.D.

Suspended Solids the quantity of solid

materials floating in the water column

B.O.D. = Biochemical Oxygen Demand

- a measure of the amount of oxygen required to aerobically decompose organic matter in the water

Measurements of Suspended Solids

and B.O.D. indicate the effectiveness of treatment processes

Both Suspended Solids and B.O.D.

decrease as water moves through the wastewater treatment processes

Treatment stages - Primary treatment

typical materials that are removed during primary

treatment include
fats, oils, and greases (aka FOG) sand, gravels and rocks (aka grit)

larger settleable solids including human waste, and

floating materials

Methods used in primary treatment

Sand catcher Remove sand and grit Control wastewater velocity

Sand grit and stone settle Keep suspended organic matter in water

Damage equipments in the remaining treatment stage Landfill

 Primary Sedimentation

Tank
Remove grease, oil Fecal solid settle,

floating material rise to the surface Produce a homologous liquid for later biological treatment Fecal sludge are pumped to sludge treatment plant

Treatment stages - Secondary treatment

Degrade biological content (dissolved organic matter)

of the sewage
Ex: human waste, food waste, soaps, detergent

Added bacteria and protozoa into sewage 3 different approaches Fixed film system Suspended film system Lagoon system

Three approaches
Fixed Film Systems grow microorganisms on substrates such as rocks, sand or plastic wastewater is spread over the substrate Ex: Trickling filters, rotating biological contactors

Trickling filters bed

Spread wastewater over

microorganism made of coke (carbonised coal), limestone chips or specially fabricated plastic media Optimize their thickness by insect or worm grazing

 Suspended Film Systems stir and suspend microorganisms in wastewater settled out as a sludge pumped back into the incoming wastewater Ex: Activated sludge, extended aeration

Activated sludge
mixed community of microorganisms
Both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria may exist Biological floc is formed

5 physical components of activated sludge process

aeration tank
oxygen is introduced into the system

 aeration source
ensure that adequate oxygen is fed into the tank

provided pure oxygen or compressed air

 secondary clarifiers
activated-sludge solids separate from the

surrounding wastewater

 Activated sludge

outflow line
Pump activated sludge

back to the aeration tank

Effluent outflow line

discharged effluent into

bay or tertiary treatment plant

 Lagoon Systems hold the waste-water for several months natural degradation of sewage Usually reeds are preferred

Treatment stages Tertiary treatment

remove disease-causing organisms from wastewater
3 different disinfection process Chlorination UV light radiation Ozonation

Chlorination
Most common

Advantages: low cost &

effective Disadvantages: chlorine residue could be harmful to environment

UV light radiation
Damage the genetic

structure of bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. Advantages: no chemicals are used water taste more natural Disadvantages: high maintenance of the UVlamp

Ozonation
Oxidized most pathogenic microorganisms

Advantages: safer than chlorination

fewer disinfection by-product Disadvantage: high cost

What can effluent use for?

discharged into a stream, river, bay, lagoon or wetland
used for the irrigation of a golf course, green way or

park If its sufficiently clean, it can be used for groundwater recharge

Advanced Treatment Nitrogen removal

Ammonia (NH3) nitrite (NO2-) nitrate (NO3-)

Phosphorous removal Precipitation with iron or aluminums salt Lead to eutrophication May cause algae bloom

Sludge treatment
Primary sludge usually have strong odors
Secondary sludge have high concentration of

microorganism Goals of treatments are:

Reduce odors Remove water reduce volume Decompose organic matter

 Untreated sludge are about 97 percent water

Settling can reduce about 92 to 96 percent of water

dried sludge is called a sludge cake

3 different sludge treatments

Aerobic digestion
Anaerobic digestion composting

Aerobic digestion
Bacterial process
Need oxygen Consume organic matter Convert into carbon dioxide (CO2)

Anaerobic digestion
Bacterial process
Do not require oxygen Consume organic matter Produce biogas, which can be used in generators for

electricity

Composting
aerobic process
requires the correct

mix of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and water with sludge Generate large amount of heat

Sludge disposal
Superheat sludge and convert into small granules that

are rich in nitrogen

Sell it to local farmer as fertilizer

Spread sludge cake on the field Save landfill space

Summary

Thank u